Lisa Gitelman

Lisa Gitelman is a media historian and professor at New York University, specializing in media studies, American print culture, and new media technologies. Her research focuses on how different media forms have evolved and shaped communication, knowledge, and social practices throughout history. Her influential book "Always Already New: Media, History and the Data of Culture" (2006) examines how new media technologies are understood and integrated into society, using case studies of the introduction of recorded sound in the late 19th century and the early internet in the late 20th century. The work "Paper Knowledge: Toward a Media History of Documents" (2014) explores the evolution of documents from nineteenth-century blank forms to today's PDF files. Gitelman's scholarship has significantly contributed to the field of media archaeology and the understanding of how different media formats influence the way information is created, stored, and shared. Her work frequently examines the intersection of media technologies with social, cultural, and institutional practices. Serving as a professor in NYU's Department of Media, Culture, and Communication, Gitelman has helped shape contemporary discussions about media history and theory. Her research continues to influence how scholars approach the study of both historical and contemporary media forms.

Readers find Gitelman's work thorough and detail-oriented but note it requires academic background to fully grasp. Her books receive attention primarily from media studies scholars and graduate students. What readers liked: - Deep historical research into media formats and documentation - Clear connections between past and present media transitions - Strong theoretical framework for understanding media evolution What readers disliked: - Dense academic language makes texts inaccessible to general readers - Some sections focus too heavily on specific historical examples - Can be repetitive in making key points From Goodreads: "Always Already New" - 3.9/5 (87 ratings) "Paper Knowledge" - 3.8/5 (56 ratings) Common reader comment: "Important ideas but requires patience and background knowledge to work through" (Goodreads reviewer) Minimal presence on Amazon and other commercial sites, reflecting the academic nature of her work. Most reviews appear in scholarly journals and academic forums.

Always Already New: Media, History, and the Data of Culture (2006) An examination of how new media technologies become "old" over time, focusing on the early history of the internet and late 19th-century phonograph.

Paper Knowledge: Toward a Media History of Documents (2014) A study of the evolution of documents from nineteenth-century blank forms to today's PDF files, exploring how different document formats have shaped information and knowledge.

Scripts, Grooves, and Writing Machines: Representing Technology in the Edison Era (1999) An analysis of how writing technologies like the typewriter and phonograph transformed communication and representation in late 19th-century America.

Raw Data Is an Oxymoron (2013) A collection of essays examining how data is never truly "raw" but always shaped by historical, cultural, and technical factors.

New Media, 1740-1915 (2003) An edited volume exploring various forms of media that were once considered new, including optical telegraphs, early sound recording, and nineteenth-century electromagnetic technologies.

The Routledge Companion to Media Studies and Digital Humanities (2018) A comprehensive reference work covering intersections between digital humanities and media studies, with contributions from multiple scholars in the field.

Johanna Drucker explores media history, book arts, and visual communication through both scholarly work and artistic practice. Her research on materiality and information interfaces shares conceptual ground with Gitelman's focus on media formats and documentary practices.

Jonathan Sterne examines sound technologies and media formats through cultural and technical perspectives. His work on MP3s and audio formats parallels Gitelman's interest in how media standards shape social practices.

Friedrich Kittler analyzes media systems and their role in shaping human perception and cultural memory. His media archaeological approach to studying information systems provides theoretical foundations similar to Gitelman's examination of document formats.

Katherine Hayles investigates the relationships between literature, technology, and information systems. Her research on how digital media affects human cognition and textual practices aligns with Gitelman's work on media materiality.

Matthew Kirschenbaum focuses on digital preservation, electronic literature, and the material aspects of computing. His examination of digital artifacts and storage media connects to Gitelman's interests in document formats and information systems.